Libera Me
by page-write
Summary: Draco has a secret and his father disowns him because of it. What happens when all he has ever known is broken and he has to begin anew? Some changes made to chapters and new chapters posted! Title Change as well
1. Chapter One

**Libera Me**

**_Summary: Draco has a secret and his father disowns him because of it. What happens when all he has ever known is broken?_ **

_**Warning: If you like Draco as a male stop right now**_

_**Rating: PG…no violence…barely any swearing…no sex…**_

**_No Pairings Just Yet_**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter One: In The Beginning**

"Now I want a nice clean game from all of you…" said Madam Hooch," ALL of you", she added eyeing the now seventh year Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. Both glared at the other and said nothing. "On my count…three…two…" she placed her whistle between her lips and let out a sharp blast.The balls were released and the players were in the air a split second after them. Dean Thomas's voice could be heard over the winds of the rain the Quidditch teams were playing in, shouting the commentary. _"Abercrombie. St. Clair. Pritchard. Abercrombie. St. Clair. McDonald. St. Clair. McDonald. GRYFINDOR SCORE!" _Suddenly both seekers dropped down into a dive after the snitch. They plummeted together and the crowd was screaming their cheers to the two seekers. Side by side they zoomed across the field after the tiny golden ball. Neither saw the bludger that crashed into both boys, first into the side of Draco's face and then into Harry's shoulder. The impact knocked them almost simultaneously off their brooms and sent them hurtling to the ground with two sickening crunches, one right after the other.

"_Mother, do something!"_

"_I can't"_

"_Don't let him send me away!"_

"_There's nothing I can do"_

_Click of a door shutting_

"_Mother…"_

Draco lay on a hospital bed in the infirmary with his eyes closed. Someone was sitting near him but he didn't want to open his eyes to see who it was. He heard movement and voices somewhere farther into the infirmary. A book closed with a soft snap and a voice murmured, "You can open your eyes now Malfoy". He groaned and cracked open one eye to see Harry Potter sitting on a stool beside him, his arm wrapped up and placed in a sling. "You've been out for quite some time Malfoy", said Harry quietly," They thought you might not wake up for a long time still". Draco suddenly felt sore and his head throbbed. He groaned once more before sitting up and pushing away the blankets. "Malfoy, you're supposed to stay in bed. Do you need Madam Pomphrey? I'll get her for you…" He stood to fetch the nurse only to hear Draco growl, "Sod off Potter. What do you care anyway? You were part of the accident too and I don't see you in bed". He slid off of his own bed and felt his legs turn to jelly as he fell to the floor. Harry moved around the bed and reached down to pull Draco up. The second flesh touched flesh a little jolt of electricity coursed through them both. They were still for a split second before Draco moved to get away. "Get off me, Potter", said Draco through clenched teeth as he shook away from him. "Why are you such an ass Malfoy!" demanded Harry as he straightened. Draco heaved himself up back onto the end of the bed and turned to face Harry. "Because I can, Potter. I have my reasons and it's none of your business anyway". He stretched his legs before carefully sliding off the bed again to taking a few tentative steps towards the infirmary door.

"Does it have to do with your father?"

Draco stopped dead in his tracks, his hand held above the door handle. Slowly he lowered his hand and turned to face Harry. "You know nothing, Potter", he said in a dangerously low voice. He left Harry slightly stunned in the infirmary to deal with the nurse and made his way to his dormitory.

Being a Head Boy held many perks and the private dorm was one of them. He stopped in front of a portrait of Gene the Gory. "Password?" demand the old man that graced the painting. Draco sighed and replied," Lincoln". He had taken to the American culture and liked to use their names as passwords. Gene the Gory didn't like this and had chosen to tell him so every time he came to the dorm until Draco had been fed up and threatened to slash the painting, like Sirius Black had done to the Gryffindor painting in third year, if the matter wasn't dropped. Needless to say the topic wasn't discussed and the two never spoke except to exchange passwords.

Gene the Gory swung forward to admit Draco with a grumble. The dormitory was much cleaner than when he had left it. "Marvelous things those house elves" he murmured. His clothes were neatly folded, his bed was made and his books were back in their place on his shelf. The door into the Head Student common room was slightly ajar and light was streaming in. He flopped onto his bed and buried his face into the silky green sheets. The trek across the school from the infirmary had left him exhausted.

"_You are nothing to me. You are not a true Malfoy!"_

"_Father, please…"_

"No Draco. Not this time. You will go to school at the beginning of term and you won't be coming back".

"_Father please reconsider…"_

"_No. When you become of age in May, you won't come back. You are no child of mine. Malfoy's only produce sons!"_

The sound of boots fading away 

"_Father…"_

Draco woke with a start to the sound of a sharp knock on his bedroom door. The down side of having a private dormitory was the common room and the bathroom, which were shared with the Head Girl. And who was the Head Girl? None other than Hermione Granger.

He stifled a cry of pain from sore muscles as he rose up from his bed. He staggered over to the broad oak door of his room and wrenched it open. Hermione's face held an expression of exasperation but her eyes softened when she saw him. The hatred between the two had diminished over the year but their relationship was one mostly of tolerance.

"Dumbledore asked me to give you this", she said holding out a sealed letter to him. "And Madam Pomphrey said to give you these" she added handing him a small bottle of golden pills. "What are these for?" he asked while inspecting the bottle. "They're pain pills. If you had stayed in the infirmary she would have fixed you and you wouldn't have to take them". "Well if Potter would mind his own business I wouldn't be here". She rolled her eyes at this and said nothing. Instead she reached out and moved a piece of blonde hair that had fallen in his eyes before grazing his bruised cheek with her fingers. He let out a hiss at the friction of her fingers on the tender skin. "You should put something on that", she whispered as she lowered her hand and blushed just slightly. With that she turned and made her way down the stairs that led to Draco's room.

He stood there for a moment, watching her head back into the common room and out through their portrait hole. He reached up and touched his cheek where her hand had been. Had this been a sign of affection? From Hermione? They had spent the last few months being civil to each other, so what if her feelings of tolerance had changed? What if she wanted to be friends? Or more? Draco ran a hand through his hair and let out a breath of pent up air and turned back into his room. The apocalypse was surely coming now…

He stood before his floor length mirror and touched the tender skin of his cheek where Hermione had touched him. The bruised flesh was sharply discolored black and purple, contrasting horribly with his pale skin. "You really should put something on that dear", his mirror said in a high singsong voice. He grumbled as he crawled back onto his bed with his pills and letter. He looked at the pills but decided that the letter came first. Carefully he ripped it open and pulled out the stiff parchment. Slowly he read:

Mr. Malfoy,

I have been informed of your dilemma by your mother and have been asked that you be allowed to stay at Hogwarts until you have your situation under control. Please be aware that two school teaching positions will be opening up at the end of term and you are welcome to them.

_Professor Albus Dumbledore_

_P.S. The Quidditch rematch between Gryffindor and Slytherin has been re-scheduled to be held on December 23._

His mind went into overdrive with panic when he finished the letter. '_Dumbledore knew. How could she have told him? Who else knew?'_ Draco's hands were shaking as he silently tore the letter in half. "Bet they'll get a good laugh out of that" he said bitterly. Bitter seemed to be his only mode of operation as of late. With his hands still shaking, he opened the bottle of golden pills and dumped two out onto his hand before popping them into his mouth. They burned his tongue for an instant before he swallowed. It only took a minute before the magical medicine set in and he began to feel the effects. His body felt suddenly tired and his eyelids drooped. "I'll rest my eyes…only for a second" he yawned. That second turned to a minute, which turned to an hour, which turned to…

Malfoy woke to the sound of an owl tapping on the windowpane. Groggily he rolled off of the bed and with fumbling fingers, unlatched the window. The owl swooped down the drop its note and then took off back out the window without so much as a glance backwards. '_Feel loved' _thought Draco sarcastically as he scanned over the parchment. He recognized Snape's loopy handwriting.

_Mr. Malfoy,_

_Professor Dumbledore had requested that you receive special treatment in the sending of your homework from days passed. The assignments are enclosed._

_Professor Snape_

'_Old wanker…I don't want special treatment. I would have gotten the work from Zabini anyway'. _He crumbled the parchment and tossed it into the fire that burned in his fireplace at all hours of the day. Turning, he made his way downstairs to the common room.

He found Hermione sitting before the fire in her squashy scarlet armchair with her ridicules ginger cat on her lap. He swore it looked like it had been dropped a few times and then thrown face first into a wall. It saw him and hissed, leaping from Hermione's lap in the process. She looked up and he nodded his head at her in a form of greeting, 'Hermione'. She looked away as he sat down in his own chair and kept her eyes on the fat cat at her feet.

"I…erm…Malfoy. I think we should talk", she started. Draco's eyes opened just a little wider in panic before he put on his familiar mask of calm, cool, and collected. He flipped his legs up over the arm of the chair as he said, "Oh? What about, pray tell?" She fiddled nervously with the hem of her skirt before reaching for her cat, still refusing to look up. "Malfoy…I was…Professor Dumbledore told me what happened. Between you and your father I mean. He said that because I was in such close proximity to you and that you might need my help and how he could trust…" She stopped suddenly when she looked back up at his face. Draco had now gone the color of a ripe tomato and his eyes were narrowed into slits and his lips were pressed into a line so thin that it was hard to tell that he had lips at all. "Draco…?" she started with an edge of panic to her voice. He looked away from her but the expression of unsuppressed anger never left his face. "How long…have you known?" he said through his clenched teeth. "Only for about two hours. I was told to go to his office after I gave you your letter and pills. He told me then", she said softly, afraid to anger him further. He moved his legs back down and put his hands in his face. He didn't move and he didn't make a noise but Hermione knew that there was a wave of turbulence coursing through him. Cautiously she stood and wrapped her arms around him, "Oh Draco…I'm so sorry…and I know it must be hard…" Draco sat up and looked at her. "Hard? You don't know the half of it…" he said with a grim smile. Hermione thought about this for a second, "You're probably right…but if you let me…I can help you".

Draco stood up and pushed through her arms and began to pace. "How much do you know about me?" he asked. "Only a little…Dumbledore told me that your father won't be taking you back at the end of term. And that you are…you're well…" she trailed off. He stopped, crossing his arms as he waited for the words to come out of her mouth, not sure if he wanted to hear them. A blush crept across her face as she tried to form a coherent sentence. "That I'm a girl", he bluntly finished for her. She nervously pushed her hair back from her face and waited for him (her?) to continue. The silence became deafening and he turned back to pacing. The minutes ticked away as she watched him pace. Finally he stopped and collapsed back down into his chair. She still knelt at the foot of the recliner and watched him apprehensively.

"Did he tell you anything other than that?" he asked calmly. Her brown eyes steady on his face, she shook her head no. "So now it's either I tell you or you figure it out on your own…like you do everything else…right?" he said evenly, a bitter note in his voice and the same bitterness in his eyes. No answer. "When I was born, I was born Angelica Malfoy. My father was so angry that I was not a boy. In his words, "Malfoy's only produce sons". He said it was my mother's fault and that is why their marriage fails now. They don't even sleep in the same room anymore. But it was to be known that Lucius Malfoy had a son. No one was to know that this child was actually a daughter. So my name was changed to be something no one would ever guess might actually be a girl's name and charms and spells were made to prevent puberty and any growing that might suggest a female. So a male I became. Everything was fine until tutoring began. The public school for young wizarding children is where I first met Ronald Weasly. And that is where he learned of my secret and that is when he became my first friend. But when my father discovered that someone outside the household knew, I was taken out of school, placed into private tutoring and a memory charm was put on Ron. Everything was taken away until my eleventh birthday, when I received my letter. I received two actually. One from Durmstrang and one from Hogwarts. Durmstrang was out of the question with my mother, too far away. My father wanted me there since it would get me farther away from him. The row between them lasted for a month until it was settled that I would go to Hogwarts. The charms were doubled up and I was sent on my way.

For the first time in my life I felt like I belonged. I had a place with other kids and I was accepted. I was allowed to go wherever I wanted and do whatever I wished. It was a freedom unlike any other. Then there was Potter. He was everything I wanted to be. Famous and loved. But above all, he was a _boy_.

I convinced myself and everyone around me that I was a boy too. Until third year when everyone around me began to grow and I stayed small and scrawny. No one had doubts but I was constantly petrified that someone would find out. And it almost happened in the most unlikely way. When Crabbe, Goyle and I dressed up as Dementors to scare Potter and we fell my robe was flipped over my head. I thought that was it when my pants slipped. Luckily my knickers stayed in place", he said with a small smile.

"There was no specific reason of my passion against Potter except for that he is everything that I have ever wanted to be. I hated everyone around me either because they are what I want to be or that they are what I am not supposed to be. So I hold my mask above my face with my trademark Malfoy sneer and my bad attitude to hide my secret." Draco finished and folded his arms behind his head. Hermione just sat there picking at her robes letting his story sink in. "But…but…why?" she demanded, "Why continue with this charade? Why do any of it? When you came to Hogwarts why not just become the girl that you are? Why pretend to be something that you are not?" He drew his eyes from the ceiling and stared at her right in the face. " Because I have to. Because I know nothing else. Changing something like that is much easier said than done. It's like the world has told me I am a stone all my life and even though I know I am not a stone how can I change the only thing that I have?" He said this in a even voice and the answer came out so smoothly as if he had told this line to himself many times. Slowly he added, "I guess the true reason that I do it is for…for approval…from my father". There was no answer she could supply to this statement and she wasn't sure it required one.

The room became quiet as the conversation set in. Draco was slightly reeling. For the first time in his life he had told his story to someone else without the fear of a memory charm. Hermione on the other hand for the first time in her life had no idea what to do with this new information. Being a Head Girl and a seventh year student she felt she was supposed to come up with a solution or something for this but strangely nothing came. A few minutes past before she said with a smile, "It doesn't make me a lesbian because I have the urge to hug you, does it?" He shook his head and laughed softly, "No…" He started to get up and head to his room because the silence between the two was unsettling. Hermione rose up with him and said, "I am going to hug you and I think it means we are friends now…maybe". With that she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. Everything in him was screaming to get away but his mind told him that this was what he needed.

After what seemed like ages she pulled away, smiled and left into her room. Draco did the same with a calm feeling. He had just told the biggest secret that a person could and he wasn't sure what to think of it.

The next morning was December twentieth. It had been a week and a half since the Quidditch game. He got up still half asleep and stumbled down across the common room and into the showers. He stood there beneath the hot spray for a minute before realizing that he was still in his clothes. Quickly stripping he returned to the steamy water. Hot tears rolled down his face as they did every morning when he was forced to observe his body.

"Fucking hell", he cried out as he wiped away the tears and soap from his face. Washing the rest of his body he noticed something different. His chest wasn't as flat as he remembered. Looking down and feeling around he realized one of his worst fears. He was developing.

"**HERMIONE!**"

He was beginning to hate the infirmary. It seemed that every time he got hurt he was in here and every time he was right back in here waiting for his mother to come and fix the anti development charm which had been canceled. Narcissa had explained that most nurses had to cancel all current charms to proceed in their healing. So here he was back in the infirmary telling the nurse that he needed his mother again.

Hermione sat beside him and did her best to help him convince the nurse that it was a family thing. Finally Madam Pomphrey left in a huff stating curtly that she would be right back. "Sorry Hermione" Draco said softly. "S'okay…gets me out of Arithimacy", she said shrugging her shoulders. Draco raised an eyebrow, " I thought you liked Arithimacy". "Nope…just said it to get Ron off my back about my classes". Draco laughed but stopped when he earned a glowering stare from Madam Pomphrey who had just returned from her office. "I see you're feeling a bit better", she stated in a sour tone.

There was a knock on the infirmary door and Professor Dumbledore swept in. He wore violent purple robes with silver stars embroidered all over them. He smiled at all three of them, Hermione and Draco trying to hide smiles and Madam Pomphrey still glowering. "Poppy would you mind giving us a few minutes to ourselves?" he asked in a cheerful tone. She obliged but not without a complaint on her way out.

He turned back to them with his smile. "Ah…Mister Malfoy I'm afraid that I must inform you that your mother won't be coming", he said losing his smile and the twinkle in his eyes, "There's been an accident"

**Author's Note: This was just a fic written out of boredom. I do intend to continue it but it may take a while. Please review. PPPLLLEEEAAASSSEEE!**

**Disclaimer: ****This story contains characters, locations, and other random things created and/or owned by J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic, Inc., etc. Since no money is being made, no infringement is intended. Section 102(b) of the U.S. Copyright Act states that copyright protection does not extend to ideas, procedures, concepts, principles or discoveries, but the actual words used to express those things. **


	2. Chapter Two

**Truth and Consequences**

_**Summary: Draco's mother has died in a mysterious accident and with his father disowning him he is left to begin defending himself in a world that he has been hiding his secrets from for years**_

_**Rating: PG-13 because of angst, drama and a kissing scene**_

_**Warning: If you like Draco as a male turn back now…**_

**_Pairings: Slight between Seamus and Draco..._**

* * *

**Chapter Two: **

_Potion? She was actually in the kitchen? She hadn't been in there for…years…_

The portrait hole slammed open and the moment he stepped into the joint common room he let out a terrible roar.

"GERRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The sound of his voice reverberated off the walls. Nothing else could explain his feelings. The only person who had loved him and protected him was now gone. Hermione stood behind him in the portrait hole hugging herself and biting her lip, unsure of what to do. Draco picked up a lamp and hurled it across the room into the wall. He let out a choked scream that turned into a sob and he collapsed to the floor. Shoulders shaking, he cried. Hermione not knowing any other way to offer comfort stepped up and hugged him from behind. There was no resistance so she didn't move away. At that moment he seemed so small. His walls and airs were coming down. Finally there came a moment where he seemed to realize what he was doing and what was happening. Slowly he stiffened and rose away from Hermione. He wiped his face and wrapping his arms around himself he slowly wandered around the room.

There was nothing Hermione could think to do or say as she watched him.

"Draco, your mother was in the kitchen and it appears there was a potion explosion", said Dumbledore. Draco knew there was something amiss because that damn twinkle that was eternally in the old man's eyes was gone and he dreaded the next words that he knew were going to come from the old man. "When the potion exploded she was thrown into the stone wall and her neck was broken", Dumbledore continued. Draco let the information sink in for a second before asking, "Is she…okay?" Dumbledore sighed and his gaze dropped to the floor. It was apparent that he hated being the bearer of bad news. "No, Draco I'm afraid that your mother died in the accident. Mediwitches said that she died on contact and that there was no suffering". Draco could feel the tears welling up and he felt no desire to cry in front of the Headmaster. As carefully and quickly as he could he stood up and let himself out of the infirmary, much to the annoyance of Madam Pomphrey. He heard the door open just as quickly as it had shut behind him and the footsteps of Hermione fall behind him. He didn't bother to tell her to sod off, as his Malfoy personality normally would have done, but instead picked up the pace and headed for the dormitory.

Draco woke the next morning exhausted and sporting a splitting headache and was in a bit of a daze. He had woken many times during the night and tossed and turned when he did sleep. Once he shook his head to clear his mind he remembered the goings on of yesterday. He ran his hands across his chest and felt the slight rise of flesh that signaled the growth of breasts.

There was a soft knock on the door before it creaked open to reveal Hermione. She was dressed and ready for her day's classes. She folded her arms and leaned against the doorframe. "Professor Dumbledore says that you can have the day off. All your class work with be owled or given to me", she said softly. Draco still held his hand on his chest as he looked over at her. The slightest of smiles graced his porcelain features, "Thank you Hermione". She nodded and started to leave. "I guess this means I will have to start wearing shirts to bed soon, huh?" he said just loud enough for her to hear. She smiled and repressing a laugh said,"Yeah, I guess so" before heading down the stairs and out of the common room.

Across the school Professor Dumbledore sent out a letter to Lucius Malfoy. In the letter was his respectful request for a charm for Draco.

Across the country Lucius Malfoy committed his wife to her grave and gazed into the distance, following the progress of an owl that was making it's way to the spot where the elder Malfoy stood.

He sneered at the gravestone as soon as everyone else had left. The small short service had only consisted of close family, mostly hers. He had lied and said that Draco had not wanted to come to her funeral. The older Malfoy felt no regret in the death of his wife. After the birth of his 'son' any relationship that had existed between he and his wife diminished. There was nothing between them except for the occasional fuck when he was in the mood. It had been years since they had actually slept in the same room. They had put on a happy face and pretended to be a respectable loving family in the social eye but beyond that they were nothing than just people who happened to live in the same house. Narcissa was nothing more than the bearer of a child whom he had regretfully called 'son' that according to him would no longer exist within a few days'…hours if he was lucky.

The tears cried the night before had led to a sort of closure. Draco regretted the death of his mother but there was nothing more he could do but remember her. Slowly he rose from the bed and made his way to the bathroom. Softly he closed and locked the doors behind him. The tile was cool beneath his feet as he made his way to the large circular tub. He turned a few of the many taps and watched as hot water and colored suds poured into the tub. He stuck his hand into the water to test it before turning and tapping a small radio that sat on a little table beside the tub. Loud rock music immediately began to blare from it.

Carefully he slid into the tub that could have easily held five more people. Holding his breath he slid down beneath the water. There came a soft knock on the bathroom door but he was unable to hear it from under the water and through the music. Again the knock came and a voice asking, "Draco?"

Draco counted the seconds as he held his breath beneath the water. The suds floated above him and the warmth of the water soothed his tense muscles. Slowly he just let go and let his body relax as he rested in the bath.

Finally, very irritated, Hermione unlocked and opened the bathroom door. Her eyes widened as she spied Draco partially hidden beneath the bubbles under the water. His eyes were closed and bubbles occasionally issued from his mouth. "Draco!" she yelled as she rushed over to the side of the bathtub. Without hesitating she stuck her arm into the soapy water and yanked him up. He immerged sputtering water with a gasp. "Hermione!" he yelled at her, "What the bloody hell are you doing!" "I should ask you the same", she retorted. "I was taking a bath! What did you think!" he shouted, flailing his arms wildly. Hermione, completely flustered and beginning to tear, picked up a towel and threw it at his head, glaring as she did so. She glared one more time for good measure and left Draco to his own devices.

An hour later Draco emerged from the bathroom in his dressing gown and a towel thrown around his shoulders. Hermione sat in an armchair facing the fire with an agitated look on her face. Draco tried to leave as quietly as possible as to not arouse another soul spilling conversation in reaction to earlier events. One was enough for one week. He made it to the steps that led to his dormitory before she spoke up. "Do know what it looked like to me when I walked in there?" He mentally slapped himself on the forehead before turning around to face her. "Do I want to know?" he asked wincingly. "I'll tell you whether you want to or not. Your mother died only two days ago, the only person who had ever loved and protected you. And when I walked in there with you submerged in the water it looked like an attempt to follow her". The emotion levels in her voice were riding high. "Well I wasn't and I don't intend to. I'm sorry I scared you but there is life for me yet, with or without my mother", he responded hoping to end the conversation as quickly as he could. He bargained right as there was no answer from her and he wasn't about to stand around waiting for one. He turned on his heels and made his way up to the dormitory and quietly closed the door leaving Hermione to her thoughts.

He took his time dressing which was unusual for him since he normally didn't want to even look at himself. Finally he exited his rooms through the portrait hole and ignored Gene the Gory as he made his way down the corridor to the entrance hall. Setting his mind on his favorite spot by the lake he hurried through the castle ignoring everyone that he passed. The entrance hall was empty save for one person. Harry stood by the tall wooden doors that led into the great hall as if waiting for something. It felt like he was almost waiting for Draco. His spine tingled as his eyes passed over the dark haired boy. There was something magnetic in his stance that just drew Draco's gaze. Harry, feeling someone's eyes on him, turned and slightly scowled as he caught sight of Draco. He didn't move from his position as if daring Draco to come forward and move him. Draco didn't dare and made his way down to the doors. He cast one more look at Harry before sweeping out onto the path leading to the lake.

It had been four days since he had been out of the castle. He didn't care to be cooped up for so long but circumstances tended to keep him in there. It was refreshing to be outside on the grounds again. The sun was out this day, unlike the day of the Quidditch accident. The trees that bordered the lake were in bloom and the ground was littered with the petals of the flowering trees. There was a slight breeze that fluttered his robes around his ankles as he made his way to the lakeside. On the far eastern side of the lake leading up to the whomping willow there was a small grove of trees that sort of created a three-walled room. The tall oaks had large roots that created 'seats' between them. It was a place that Draco had discovered when wandering the grounds in his first year. Very few, if any, knew about the grove so it became a place that Draco went to be alone.

He steadily approached the grove of trees, admiring the gnarled wood of the ancient oaks. He was so absorbed in the minute details of his surroundings that he didn't notice the boy sitting between the roots of the trees. Draco dropped down between a set of roots, propped up his feet and pulled out a book from his inner robe pocket before he noticed someone else sitting there.

Seamus had gone rigid and was wide eyed as he watched Draco come into the grove of oak trees and make himself comfortable. Draco went just as rigid as Seamus when he noticed him. "What are you doing here?" he asked slowly. This simple question stunned Seamus more than the appearance of Draco. He had expected some snotty arrogant comment or a demand that he leave. Both boys were still in their places among the roots as Seamus desperately tried to formulate the answer Draco was waiting for. What felt like ages past and he came up with nothing great. Finally he stammered, "I was just reading", and pointed at his book beside him. Draco nodded and gave just a glimmer of a smile before turning to his own book. If his body hadn't been so tense Seamus was sure that his jaw would have fallen to the floor in astonishment. Draco was being nice.

Draco didn't have the energy or desire to be his normal self so instead of instigating he just continued on, as he would have if he were by himself. He felt Seamus' eyes boring into his skull as he tried to read his book. Finally after he had read the same paragraph over three times because he couldn't concentrate with Seamus staring like that he looked up and sighed. A small smile crept into his features as he saw the astonished look on Seamus' face. "Everything all right there?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Seamus blinked before realizing that Draco was talking to him. He blushed and looked away, "Er…sorry….I didn't mean to…" Draco wanted to laugh but felt it was inappropriate, "What? Sorry for staring at me? Are you sure everything's okay?" Seamus was taken aback. It wasn't his imagination; Draco was being nice.

"Yes! No! Everything is not alright!" The words flooded from Seamus' mouth before he could stop them and now he was scared. Scared that the niceness Draco had just displayed would vanish and that he would be hexed into the next millennia. But he was so confused in this new show of attitude from Malfoy. For the third time in the last few minutes he was astonished when Draco began to smile. The smile grew wider and spread across his face until he was laughing. "What's so funny?" Seamus demanded. He was curious as to why Draco was laughing but at the same time furious that he was laughing at all. Soon his laughter died away and Draco leaned forward to say, "You should relax a bit…don't you think? You're so tense". His voice was low and had a sultry edge to it. Again Seamus was surprised. Would the surprises of this day never end? He just sat there gaping until Draco moved forward some more. Was it Seamus just hoping, or was Draco coming onto him? Draco didn't know why but at that moment he had the over whelming need to kiss Seamus. He kept coming forward across the small space between them until he crossed into Seamus' personal space. They were just inches away from each other but Draco didn't move anymore. He was waiting for something from Seamus. Permission maybe? No he was waiting for Seamus to come to him. Seamus was only too happy to comply. The small distance between them was closed as Seamus came forward to press his lips to Draco's. This was what Draco had been waiting for. He lifted his hands to curl them into Seamus' sandy brown hair. He felt Seamus gliding his hands to wrap them around his waist. Draco opened his mouth to gently lick Seamus' lips, begging entrance. Seamus opened his mouth to accept him. Their tongues danced around battling for dominance. A moan escaped from the pair. The need for air became imperative and the kiss was cut short. Draco's normally pale skin was flushed and Seamus' chest was heaving and his hair was extremely tousled. Slowly they parted and sat back. Draco closed his eyes and licked his lips, savoring the taste of Seamus on them. He wanted to remember that for the rest of his life; his first kiss. Seamus just watched him with newfound wonderment. "I never would have thought…you of all people…" he murmured. Draco opened his eyes to look at him, "Why not me?" Seamus thought for a second, "Because…you're Malfoy" he replied as if it explained everything. And it did, Draco understood only too well. He nodded his head and gave a sad smile. He knew he should go, but not without another kiss. He leaned forward and gently kissed Seamus. This kiss was soft and chaste. Loving even. He drew back to sit on his knees and looked at Seamus. Just looked. He was reluctant to leave even though he knew he had to. His leaving was vital to everything he had left. "I have to go", he whispered. Seamus nodded and looked into his eyes," I know. And I know that even after this we can't even try to be together no matter what my heart is screaming at me right now. I know that there's something different about you Malfoy; something you're hiding. And I probably won't be the one you tell your secrets to either but remember…right now, I've seen you without your mask and I'm here for you whenever you need me". He finished off his little bit with a gentle kiss in reciprocation to the one Draco had given him.

"So that's how it is with you, is it?"

Draco jerked away as the gruff voice broke through the stillness. He whipped around to see an already graduated Marcus Flint standing between the trees with a sneer that matched Draco's usual one. "What are you doing here Flint?" Draco demanded. "Oh, just running some errands" Marcus replied as he fiddled with his wand. "Well I want you to leave", he said dangerously as he began to get up. "Oh…Sorry Mr. Malfoy…I'm afraid I can't do that". Before Draco had time to react Marcus had his wand pointed and the beginning of the killing curse had already left his lips.

"Avada…" 

"_No!"_

"…_Kedavra!"_

Draco had heard the curse and the shout and found himself on his face in the dirt. A spilt second after he hit the ground green light exploded from Marcus' wand and a thud was heard from behind him. His whole body was shaking and he was afraid to turn around to find what he knew deep in his gut he would find. "Stupid fool…oh well, I won't miss this time…." He heard Marcus say. He braced himself for the nothingness that he knew would ensue as soon as the curse was uttered.

"Avada…" "Stupefy!" 

Another voice sounded and Marcus collapsed to meet Draco on the ground. Draco slowly looked up to see Harry standing over him. His wand was still pointing at Marcus but he wasn't looking at him or Draco. His eyes were fixed on the still form of Seamus. Draco turned over to see him lying on his back in the exact place they had been kissing just minutes before. Tears sprung to his eyes as he looked on the one of the very few people who had accepted him, no questions asked, besides his mother, Hermione and Dumbledore. He stumbled forward to clutch at Seamus' body. He picked him up and held him to his chest. He buried his nose in Seamus' still fragrant hair. "No…" he breathed as he felt the hot tears spill down his cheeks.

"Don't cry Draco…I'm still here…" 

A faint voice came from behind the boys and both Draco and Harry spun around to face Seamus. Or at least part of him. He looked the same excluding the fact that he was floating and that you could see through him. Draco let his tears slide down his face, as he looked upon this boy who had been his somewhat such a short time ago. "Why are you still here?" asked Harry somewhat boldly_. "Well I heard about this great place called heaven that I can go to if I just follow the bright signs but I decided that I needed to say goodbye first. So don't worry about me having unfinished business or whatever it is that you are thinking Harry_", answered Seamus. Harry smiled and Draco attempted a smile. He realized he was still holding Seamus' lifeless body in his aching arms. He looked down on his face. He could see him deteriorating already. The flush of live skin was leaving and the color of his eyes was fading. "_Draco…let go of that you don't want to know where it's been. And besides, I'm not in it any more and it's okay to let it go_", said Seamus who had noticed the direction of Draco's eyes. Slowly Draco parted his arms and let Seamus' body slide to the floor.

"_It's time for me to go…I would hug you both but that's just physically impossible. Harry…be good. I suppose this means no more hide-and-seek, huh_?" Harry laughed and shook his head at the memory of the late night game they had played in the castle when they were extremely shit-faced, as Seamus turned to Draco. "_Remember to live Draco no matter what changes come in the future. Promise me that one thing. I'm not going to see you again for a long, long time and I don't want to find that you were an arse and went around being a shit for the rest of your life because I know you're better than that_". Draco nodded and smiled weakly. "_And one more thing Draco…_" he leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "_I'm really glad I got to kiss you before I died_". He straightened up with a smile on his face and said, "_Now get out of here…both of you_", before he began to fade away with a big grin.

Harry knelt down beside Draco and gazed at Seamus. A moment passed by when there was a peace between the two rivals. Finally, "We should go", whispered Harry. He stood up and dusted the almost non-existent dirt off his robes before offering Draco a hand. Gratefully Draco accepted it and stood up. Harry pointed his wand at Seamus' lifeless body and muttered "Wingardium Leviosa". Gradually the body rose in the air and Harry began to direct from the grove and towards the castle. Reluctantly Draco followed with Marcus' stunned body.

The fastest way to Dumbledore was straight through the castle but it was also the most trafficked part of the castle. The whispers started the second they started through the entry hall. Eyes watched as the two boys marched through the castle with the two still bodies hovering before them. The rumors started as soon as the boys were out of sight of the whispering lips and watchful eyes.

Harry led them right to a statue of an extremely ugly gargoyle and without missing a beat spoke the password and strode right into Dumbledore's office.

The old man sat behind his desk going through some forms from the ministry of magic. He looked up at the door when he heard the enchanted gargoyle move and the staircase start moving in the fashion of a muggle escalator. He wasn't expecting anyone at the moment but when one was headmaster of a school of young witches and wizards one must become accustomed to people coming and going throughout the day. He watched solemnly as the door to his office opened and Harry Potter entered directing the floating body of Seamus ahead of him. He was surprised to see that a certain Draco Malfoy followed with an equally floating Marcus Flint. This was so unexpected that he was actually at a loss for words. He knew that Draco Malfoy had a very unique situation but to have him coming in with his rival and two injured students was quite another issue. The floating boys were directed to the long wall that was accommodated with a bright purple couch. Seamus was gently lowered onto the couch while the older Slytherin was abruptly dropped onto the stone floor.

Dumbledore quickly stood and strode to the fireplace. He pulled down an ornate Egyptian urn from the mantle and poured out a hand full of floo power which was quickly thrown in. The fire sparked and turned green. "Poppy!" he hollered into the flame. The head of the school nurse immediately appeared in the fireplace with an annoyed look plastered on her face. "We have a bit of a situation Poppy and we need some assistance", he told her. She looked around the room until her eyes fell onto the still bodies of Finnegan and Flint and the downcast faces of Malfoy and Potter. With a quick nod she agreed and her head vanished from the fireplace.

Just as her face disappeared the office door slammed open to reveal Professor McGonagall followed closely by Professor Snape. They each took a place behind the chairs where the two boys had taken seats in front of Dumbledore's desk and now waited for the inevitable "What happened?"

Dumbledore took his seat again behind his broad desk and asked them quietly, "What happened?"

Harry related his story first. He told of seeing Draco leave the castle and seeing Marcus Flint follow shortly after. Curiosity had gotten the better of Harry and he had followed the Slytherins out onto the grounds. He saw Draco disappear into a grove oaf tree. Flint drew his wand and followed. With the experience Harry had he knew that when a wizard sneaks up on another with a drawn wand the outcome isn't normally good. He considered leaving Draco to the devices of Flint but finally decided that he should go help. By the time he made it to the grove of trees Flint had his wand pointed at Draco and had the first part of the killing curse out of his mouth. He stupefied him and then saw the dead body of Seamus Finnegan. He told them about Seamus saying goodbye before leaving to…where ever it is that ghosts go to.

Dumbledore sat the whole time behind his desk with his fingers in a steeple before his lips. His eyes still had that twinkle in them throughout the entire story even when Harry told about the death of Seamus. Draco had the urge to walk over and slap that damn twinkle away. How could someone be that placid as something like this is going on? When Harry was done Dumbledore indicated that Draco should tell his side of the story. "There's nothing else to tell sir…Potter pretty much got it all", Draco said. That damn twinkle twinkled and Dumbledore pressed on, "Well surely something happened while you were in the grove with Mr. Finnegan before Harry arrived". Now Harry was watching him expectantly waiting for the details that he didn't have. Dumbledore looked at Draco pointedly, wordlessly telling him to spit it out. His face tinged pink as he hung his head and murmured, "while Seamus and I were in the grove we kissed…and then Marcus showed up". Dumbledore chuckled like it was actually funny but Harry wore a completely incredulous look on his face. "You what!" he demanded like he hadn't heard the first time. "Thank you Harry I think that will be all for this evening", interrupted Dumbledore, "But thank you very much for jumping in and saving Draco". Harry glared at Dumbledore before reluctantly standing up and letting himself out of the office.

The old man turned back to Draco and looked him over as if sizing him up. "Draco I wanted to tell you that I owled your father yesterday after your visit to the hospital wing. And unfortunately he declined in sending me a charm to stop the growth," said Dumbledore while opening a desk drawer and pulling out a neatly folded piece of parchment. Draco rolled his eyes before answering, "Did you actually expect him to send a bloody charm? I seriously doubt he was expecting me to be alive for you to perform it on anyway. Don't you see? Marcus was supposed to kill me. He was most likely put up to it by my father. Probably paid a hefty sum for it as well, accompanied by many threats to the family I'm sure. See if I'm dead there is no need for a charm, is there?" Dumbledore sat back in his chair with an amused smile on his lips and that damnable twinkle absolutely sparkling in his eyes. "So what do you propose we do, Draco?" he asked. Draco's mind had already jumped ahead to the possibilities that he had but he kept coming back to one. He stood up and began to pace back and forth in front of Dumbledore's desk. Minutes passed and the teachers were silent as they watched the mind of Draco working furiously. Finally he stopped and slammed his fist down on Dumbledore's desk. The old man didn't so much as blink but the twinkle was still evident. Draco then sighed and sank into his chair once again. "We have to go on without the charms and potions. I have to become a girl. Become what I was born to be…" His voice trailed off with the thought before barreling on. "Completely. I mean walk, talk, sit, stand, _look_ like a girl. My father will soon find out that Marcus failed and others will be sent after me. My father doesn't let anyone marked for death live. Ever. He's almost as bad as Voldemort. But the key is that all of them will be looking for a boy. A blonde haired boy. So I will just become the opposite of what they are looking for". Dumbledore's little smile grew as he nodded along with the words that were spilling forth from Draco. Finally Draco sat back down in the chair and sighed. "Yes this is what we will do", he said in a finalizing manner. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled when Draco said this. "Are you sure this is what you want to do Draco? There are other possibilities I'm sure", he said slightly seriously because he liked the idea of Draco becoming what he was but he wanted it to be Draco's best choice before they went through with it. Draco thought for a second before nodding, "Yes this is the right thing to do".

Almost as soon as the words left his lips the door to Dumbledore's office banged open to reveal the nurse. She nodded at Professor Snape and McGonagall before quickly making her way over to the still bodies of Seamus and Marcus. Tenderly she pressed her fingers to Marcus's pulse point and then on Seamus'. "Albus!" she gasped, as she felt no pulse beneath her fingertips, "Finnegan is dead!"

An hour later Draco emerged from Dumbledore's office with mixed feelings. He was about to become what he had spent his whole life avoiding. Somehow this was extremely relieving but incredibly terrifying all at once. He took a breath and set his jaw, preparing himself for the next step. "Decision is fifty percent of doing, so I'm already half way there", he said before purposefully striding down the stairs and across the castle to his dormitory.

Behind him a shadow moved and followed him down the corridor and across the school.

**Author's Note:** **In all honesty I'm just flyin by the seat of my pants with this one. It started just as a drabble and has kinda expanded so progress with be excruciatingly slow...my apologies **

**Disclaimer: ****This story contains characters, locations, and other random things created and/or owned by J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic, Inc., etc. Since no money is being made, no infringement is intended. Section 102(b) of the U.S. Copyright Act states that copyright protection does not extend to ideas, procedures, concepts, principles or discoveries, but the actual words used to express those things. **


	3. Chapter Three

**Libera me**

**_Summary: Some truths come out and a plan begins to hatch…_**

_**Warning: There is a suicide in this chapter just in case you wanted to know…**_

_**Rating: PG-13…I wouldn't say it's too bad so PG-13 sounds fair enough…**_

* * *

**Chapter Three**

The day was half over by the time Draco had left Hermione sitting in the common room on his way to the lake. He had ended their conversation in a strained manner. It was entirely visible that Draco had no desire to be in the room with her and talking about their incident right now. She knew that he would probably have no desire to speak of it later either.

Even after he left it was his face that kept re-entering her mind. She couldn't shake the feeling of fear when she thought of Draco submerged in that bath. And she couldn't shake the memory of her sister either. Horrible memories rose to the surface and made her heart ache with unresolved pain.

Her sister had been sixteen and it was the summer that Hermione received her Hogwarts letter. It was also the summer her sister died.

"Read it to me again! Read it to me again!" cried out the eleven year old Hermione.

The morning post had arrived bearing an unusual letter addressed in emerald green ink to Ms. H. Granger, First Bedroom on the right, 16 Wallington Way, Cokeworth, Britain. She had broken the unusual seal and pulled out the thick heavy parchment and read the first page. As soon as she read the signature of the deputy headmistress she letter out a little scream and began to dance around the living room. Her older sister, Autumn, had run down the stairs to see what was going on and jerked the letter from Hermione's little hand. Her parents came into the room as well and listened with matching incredulous looks on their faces as Autumn read the letter out loud with a flourish only learned in drama classes.

Autumn was so proud of Hermione and excitedly accompanied her to the wizarding shopping center in London, Diagon Alley. Her eyes were wide as she ran her fingers over the bindings of spell books in Flourish and Blotts. The entire place was, in a word, enchanting. She never wanted to leave and Hermione agreed whole-heartedly. In the back of her mind and in the bottom of her heart she wished that it were her who had received the letter, not Hermione and secretly resented her for it. But no one would ever know that.

The summer passed quickly and Hermione spent time with Autumn reading her textbooks and practicing small spells. That letter had opened up a whole new world for both of them that they planned to explore thoroughly together.

That's why just three weeks until September 1st came it was such a shock to find Autumn lying still, beneath the water in the family bathroom.

Hermione hadn't enough tears for the pain that shook her then and the long suppressed sorrow threatened to spill over with the memories.

"It is a particularly great sadness when our children are taken away from us. It is an even greater sadness when a child like Autumn is taken from us so suddenly. Autumn Granger was a wonderful person. She was an inspiration and a challenge to everyone. Today we come to mourn the passing of such a great soul so that tomorrow we can remember the greatness of that soul…"

The words of the pastor flowed around the room at the funeral home like water. His voice lifted up around each like the wind as he commemorated the wonderfulness that was Autumn. But even with such comforting words and compassion Hermione couldn't help but feel as if she had been cheated out of something. Why had her sister done this? What had been so bad that she felt the need to end her life and cause Hermione such horrible pain? Her vision swam with her thoughts and the tears broke forth into sobs splitting through the pastor's words. She couldn't bear it any longer and fled down the aisle and out of the chapel.

The bells to release classes for the day rang out through the school. Doors slammed open in unison and streams of students poured from the classrooms into the halls, all en route to various dormitories. All accept for one.

The story of Seamus' death had spread like wild fire through the school along with several different versions to it, all in which Harry Potter was exulted as a hero. Although hero status wasn't unusual after the defeat of Lord Voldemort. Harry very rarely spoke to anyone anymore and he had immersed himself into his studies with Hermione. Ronald on the other hand become Harry's unofficial publicist and would give comment of Harry's well being and current events and often regaled any who asked with the story of how Harry brought down the infamous Marcus Flint.

Draco Malfoy on the other hand was not so nicely looked upon. No one knew what had occurred between Seamus and Draco and they saw no thawing in his icy mask. He was nothing but a slimy Slytherin to them and he gave no reason for them to think otherwise of him. He was unusually quiet but his snide remarks still came out from time to time but their viciousness and bite had seeped out.

Professor Snape was sitting behind his black lacquered desk with his fingers laced and sitting on top of a pile of fourth year essays. He watched the child that he had known since birth fidget in front of him. How could such a secret have been kept from him? How could he have never known that this child, this 'boy', was the opposite of everything he had seemed to be? How great his pretending skills must be…

"Draco", he started, "I've...er...noticed that you've not quite been yourself lately". Draco nodded and started to say something. Professor Snape held his hand up for silence. "Let me finish please… you've not been yourself lately and if there is anything you need to talk about you have my permission to seek me out…even after hours." Draco nodded again. "Well…" Draco took a breath to collect his thoughts. An obvious change came over Draco as he centered himself and let the resolution fill his mind. "Thank you for your observation but I'm fine I just need a little time to get myself in order. In a few days my limitation… will be removed and then the Christmas Holidays will be here and everything will be…better". Before Snape could answer Draco turned, picked up his bag and strode from the Potions dungeon.

Draco found Hermione bent over her books at the desk in the head student common room and writing furiously across an extremely long scroll of parchment. She didn't even acknowledge his presence when the portrait door slammed behind him or when he dumped his books on the end table or gave a very exaggerated sigh when he dropped down onto the couch. Hermione's quill just kept scratching on and on in that annoying way of hers when she was thoroughly engrossed in her work. "What's got you in such a right state?" asked Draco lazily. He immediately regretted it when she stilled and tensed. Slowly she turned to face him and he was suddenly very sure the apocalypse was coming and he was going to die. Her eyes were swollen and red from tears and her face was contorted in fury. " **Leave Me Alone!**" she screamed at him. The shelves rattled and the lamps exploded out as she screamed before she broke down into shattering sobs.

Draco was stunned. This was nothing of what he had expected to happen. Would the surprises of his life never end?

Smoothly he slid away from the couch and tentatively approached her. She didn't respond to him in anyway so he figured it was okay to come closer. In one motion he wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders and held her while she cried. He didn't understand it but he knew that in this particular second this was the best thing to do. After a while her sobs slowed before halting into hiccups. "Now…" he said gently, "Do you want to tell me what this is all about?" She still didn't move for a while before she nodded slightly against his chest.

"When I turned eleven I received my Hogwarts letter like every other first year and my older sister Autumn was with me. She was just as excited as I was…" Hermione started. Her eyes glazed over a bit like she was struggling not to reenter the memories that had brought her to such a state. "We…we went shopping in Diagon Alley and bought all my school things. I loved Autumn…and she was so happy for me…but then something happened…" Hermione's voice trailed off and fresh tears welled up in her eyes and she clung to Draco as if he could save her from whatever battle she was fighting with her memories. Draco nudged her to get her attention so she could go on telling her story.

"Then about three weeks before we had to go to King's Cross I came home with my mother from the super market. I heard water running and I went upstairs to go find Autumn. The bathroom door was slightly ajar and I figured she was washing her face or some other teenage thing…I knocked on the door and there was no answer so I pushed it open. And there she was in the bath. She was under the water but the water was pink and I didn't understand why. That was the last time I saw her…She had done something I didn't even know she was capable of doing". Hermione's voice trailed off and hot tears trickled down her face as she pressed herself into Draco as much as she could, lightly stroking his arm the whole while as if to reassure herself that he was there at all. "And when you saw me…" Draco started. "I couldn't bear the thought that you might have…that I had lost another…I just couldn't…" Hermione filled in feebly.

Draco held her close and rested his cheek on top of her head. "I understand now…and I'm sorry, Hermione"

The next day Draco finished his last class and once again went off in search of Hermione. As usual on a normal day she was occupying herself in the library. Quietly under the intense scrutiny of Madam Pince Draco approached Hermione. As quietly as he could he dropped his things on the table to get her attention and slid into a chair. She looked up with that irritated look in her eyes that said she was thoroughly engrossed her work before he showed up. "What?" she hissed.

"Hermione, I need your help to make a port key", he said.

**Author's Note: This one is a little shorter than the others but I wanted to end it like that so that I could jump right into it in the next chapter with a minimal amount of explaining the hows…**

**Disclaimer: ****This story contains characters, locations, and other random things created and/or owned by J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic, Inc., etc. Since no money is being made, no infringement is intended. Section 102(b) of the U.S. Copyright Act states that copyright protection does not extend to ideas, procedures, concepts, principles or discoveries, but the actual words used to express those things. **


	4. Chapter Four

**Libera Me**

_**Summary: Draco handles his limitations **_

_**Warning: There is violence in this just in case you wanted to know…Draco gets a little mean and bloody here… **_

_**Rating: I'd say PG-13 probably not worse than that…maybe an R for touchy people… **_

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Across the country a horrid storm was raging and was leaving flooded destruction in its wake. Huddling in its unplottable location Hogwarts stood against the fierce wind and rain protecting stubbornly its inhabitants. Inside the school, the Head Girl was returning from her rounds in search of the Head Boy. "_I can't believe I had to do rounds by myself…the night before winter hols too…it's not like anyone's here anyway…_"She thought as she wandered into the common room. "Draco?" she called. Only the echo of her voice answered her. Turning from the common room she quietly walked up the steps to Draco's private room and carefully opened the door. Peering inside she called, "Draco?" Hermione heard movement behind her and spun to find the common room still empty. She took a few cautious steps downward.

"Draco?"

There was no answer but Hermione spied the cloak rack near the common room entrance. It was devoid of a certain Slytherin cloak that usually hung upon it. She pursed her lips in annoyance.

"I knew it…"

Rain pelted against the windows of the Malfoy manor from the winter storm. An owl was blown off course and sent spiraling past the grand front gates of the daunting house. And inside the house a door slammed open and the squeal of a house elf was heard.

The eldest Malfoy strode into his parlor with a particularly nasty grin on his face. He had few things in his life that truly made him happy and today he had found one. No matter what the Potter boy had said about him there was nothing to prove him guilty of any crimes. The fall of the Dark Lord had left him unprotected by his awesome power but the Malfoy name still held it's clout and today he had had a particularly good time throwing it around at the Ministry.

Lucius unhooked his cloak and let it fall onto the cloak rack by the large mahogany doors. Its bewitched arms reached out to grab it and prevent its fall to the polished floor. He listened with an arrogant satisfaction to the hard click of his black-heeled boots as he walked to his desk with his characteristic Malfoy smirk in place. Oh he did enjoy threatening weak ministry scum.

"Hello Father"

A cold voice floated across the room and a feeling of dread spiked in Lucius. "A curse on the Flint who failed me", he muttered. Slowly he turned and centered himself, bracing for the impending onslaught of verbal cuts and curses he knew were coming. Retribution had seemingly arrived for him.

"Oh wait. I forgot, I can't call you that anymore…since I'm not a true Malfoy anymore".

Draco rose from his seat on Lucius' black leather couch in front of the grand marble fireplace. His face held careful neutrality but his eyes betrayed him and showed the icy hatred that resided in them. Slowly he walked towards his father in careful measured steps. Lucius took note and felt a small thrill of fear flow through his body as the sudden realization of Draco's methodical movement spoke volumes of the planning Draco had put into this little visit. Whatever Draco had planned Lucius had a feeling he wasn't going to enjoy it.

"It's amazing", he said as he returned Draco's icy stare, hoping to distract Draco from his errand, "How well you hide your _one major flaw_". Draco shifted his flowing black robes and the anger he was trying to keep cool was beginning to become apparent. "Flaw?" he said, voice shaking slightly, "Are you referring to the lack of _penis_ that _your _genetics _graced _me with?" Lucius' eyes flickered with suppressed laughter and a sneer rose up on his features. "Blame the womb that carried you, Draco, not my genetics…I was not the only one involved in your conception".

"_Don't you blame her!_"

Draco's raised voice rang out across the room and he looked a little stunned that he had let such emotion slip out after his careful training and practice over years. "You're letting you pretense slip, Draco, not a habit that should be seen in such a great _actor_", Lucius' biting words stung Draco's pride. "Now pray tell…what is the purpose of this little _visitation_? Surely you're not here to pay your respects to your mother."

"I've come to eliminate my limitation", said Draco in an even voice.

"Limitation? Surely with my genetics you wouldn't be so cryptic". Lucius was getting haughty again. Slowly Draco was losing his footing and Lucius was taking the steps foreword that Draco was losing. In defense the icy mask so familiar to Draco slid into place. The display of confidence played across his features in the same way it always had in response to his façade that no one had ever seen through. The defense the mask served for brought with it all that it embodied: Malfoy arrogance and an inflated confidence. The mask served its purpose and gave Draco the leg up he needed. The steps Lucius had taken against Draco were quickly beginning to slip away again and he was starting to loose this battle of wills. Draco's icy mask turned deathly cold to stare down Lucius before he spoke:

"Has a Messr. Flint been in to see you today?"

Lucius froze and didn't answer. This was answer enough for Draco. "No I didn't think so", he said, "A little bird told me a rumor that our Mr. Flint is still yet to leave the Hogwarts castle. Go figure." Biting sarcasm flowed with the words. "He tried to kill me, did you know?" Lucius looked away from Draco's eyes betraying himself and Draco continued on, "But of course not because you're an innocent citizen…never harm a soul would you? Never _with your bare hands_". Fury was building in Draco because he knew. Knew the answer he had come for without even trying. "What are you implying Draco?" asked Lucius, his voice growing cold. "I think you already know that answer, _Father_". Lucius' eyes flickered at the jab at the title. "You can't be talking about you mother", he said. "Oh but I can" said Draco, "In fact that's exactly what I'm talking about". Lucius then surprised Draco to no end and _chuckled_. "Oh I understand now you flawed and incredibly ungrateful child. You've come with your accusatory stare and biting words to demand of me the _truth_ about her _accident_". Amused, Lucius turned away from Draco to sit in his great wing-backed chair behind his desk, putting some distance between Draco and himself.

"Well you might have come here in vain". Lucius sat in his chair and laced his fingers together before him the desk. "I'll submit to your accusations just this once and I might just tell you what you want to know…but you must ask the right _questions_". Lucius sank back into his chair and studied Draco; "So Draco, do you have a question for me?" Draco walked up to the fine mahogany desk and stood as close as he could without touching it. His eyes were locked on the fine swirling grains of wood in the desk and his brain was working furiously. Lucius was known for his wit and ability to dance around an answer. The trick with him was to ask that one straightforward question that Lucius couldn't get around. This was actually proven to be almost impossible.

Eyes still fixed on the desk, Draco whispered, "Did you kill her?" Lucius smirked that trademark Malfoy smirk that everyone knew, "Sorry Draco I don't think I caught that. Mind repeating for me?" Draco's cheeks flushed a pink tinge with rising anger. Lucius was baiting him and encouraging him wordlessly to lose control and Draco knew it.

"So what was it that you said, Draco?" Lucius was calm and arrogant and this persona would have eaten through the skin of most people and they would have lost their cool already but Draco wasn't most people. He was a little more controlled than that.

Again Draco whispered, "Did you kill her?" and again Lucius smirked, " Sorry…one more time".

The anger radiating from Draco was becoming evident and Draco was losing control over his magic. He was physically struggling to keep his mask in place when the smirk touched a nerve and he snapped.

"**DID YOU KILL HER!" **he bellowed.

With his shout all of Draco's magic that had been building up and struggling against him was released in an explosion of emotion and physical force. The windows shattered all together, the fire blew out and the shelves vibrated dangerously as Draco slammed his fists down on the desk. Although Lucius wouldn't admit it, he jumped. Lucius recovered and his lip curled, spreading the sneer across his face.

Draco turned his eyes to Lucius and the hatred was unmistakable and almost palpable. "One might think you were angry Draco," drawled Lucius sneer still in place. "_Just answer the bleeding question_", spit out Draco through grit teeth.

"What does your intuition tell you?"

There was a pause before, "I already know the answer".

"And? Now that you have this information, what are you going to do with it?"

Draco stared down at Lucius and his face hardened, "A life for a life".

Lucius paled and a shadow passed over his face with the recognition that his time had finally come. He watched as his only child raised a wand above him with a particularly hateful expression and spoke a curse in a growl.

"_Trozium_"

Lucius cried out as long cuts erupted open all over his body with a sickening squelching sound. Each cut seared white-hot as yet more appeared on his lily-white skin. This was almost worse than the cruciatus curse and that was saying something. All he could think was that he hoped Draco found some compassion and finished it soon. But to his dismay, Draco didn't end it. Instead he spoke the curse again and again and again.Finally reached out to run his fingers of both hands through the blood that was running in rivulets down Lucius' body as if curious to its texture. He looked at it for a moment before running his fingers down his face leaving red vertical lines streaked down his face.

"With your blood father I cleanse Myself…" he murmured.

He raised his wand once more and spoke the killing curse, giving his father reprieve at last.

"…And with your Death I sever all Ties and am Malfoy no more".

Lucius was left lying on the polished hardwood floors of the manor to be found and a tall willowy shape exited the Malfoy manor, removed an old wooden hairbrush from an inner pocket and disappeared into the night.

* * *

**Author's Note: Short I know but see? I told you I'd make the connection between three and four. This chapter shouldn't be too hard to understand but it is a vital piece to the story and I know we'll all lament for Lucius…sort of 0o**

**Oh and the curse _Trozium_…I took it from Spanish and altered it alittle (the- ium part).Troze means along the lines of 'to cut'…you do have to roll the tr- to get that meaning but you get the basic gist. Just don't say trozium to a really spanish speaker...they'll look at you like you're crazy. **

**Disclaimer: ****This story contains characters, locations, and other random things created and/or owned by J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic, Inc., etc. Since no money is being made, no infringement is intended. Section 102(b) of the U.S. Copyright Act states that copyright protection does not extend to ideas, procedures, concepts, principles or discoveries, but the actual words used to express those things. **


End file.
